IT WAS fitting that one of Arlene Foster’s final engagements as First Minister was on her home turf.

Speaking to this newspaper at her final engagement at Smart Gym, Lisnaskea, she said: “It's been a wonderful day; normally, I'm in Fermanagh on a Friday for constituency day, but [to be here today] was really great.

“I was so proud to have all of my colleagues from the different administrations here today for the British-Irish Council, and then to do something local, here at Smart gym, it's been wonderful.”

Reflecting on the fact that her final event as First Minister was in her home town, she said: “It’s nice to close the circle; 18 years as an MLA for Fermanagh South Tyrone, it's always nice to finish up where it all started.”

Asked if she will miss elected life, Mrs. Foster said: “I will absolutely miss the constituency work, because that’s what gets you involved in politics.

“What people don't understand, such work is public service, so you are actually meeting people and trying to help them, whether it's to do with planning, housing, benefits, or whatever you know, and that's what we're there to do.”

Mrs. Foster broke many glass ceilings as an elected representative. At the time of stepping down, she was the longest-serving female MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and Mrs. Foster was the first woman to hold the ministerial roles of Environment, Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Finance and Personnel.

Perhaps the greatest glass ceiling she shattered was being the first female First Minister, and she was also the first Fermanagh First Minister.

When asked if she could see any future Fermanagh First Minister following in her footsteps, Mrs. Foster said: “I very much hope so! I have spent a little bit of time talking to young people over this past couple of weeks, and I've been telling them to hold on to their dreams, because that’s halfway there.

“I very much hope that we'll see people coming forward.”

Mrs. Foster wasn’t giving away her future plans, and she laughed off any suggestions of appearing on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ or any other reality TV.

Despite retiring from public life in the next few weeks, Mrs. Foster will remain a familiar face around the county: “I’m certainly not going away. As you know, I’m a Fermanagh girl, so I'll be here.”